Relief and joy have swept across Nigeria following the announcement by the Presidency that all 44 pupils and teachers abducted from the Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State have been safely rescued by joint security agencies after spending 56 grueling days in captivity. The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, officially confirmed the successful breakthrough, revealing that the operation was completely driven by intelligence and executed without any financial ransom or political concessions (quid pro quo) to the terrorists. The criminal gang had previously demanded the release of one of their notorious detained kingpins in exchange for the hostages, but the Presidency firmly maintained that the suspect remains in custody and is actively being prosecuted for his atrocities.
The high-stakes rescue mission—meticulously coordinated under the leadership of the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 2 Division, Major General C.R. Nnebeife—involved a massive joint task force comprising the Nigerian Army Special Forces, the Navy, the Air Force, the Police, the Department of State Services (DSS), the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), and local Amotekun operatives. Security forces launched a relentless, month-long offensive targeting the kidnappers’ logistics networks, informants, and hideouts deep within the Old Oyo National Park. During the final rescue crackdown, security operatives successfully neutralized several bandits and arrested eight key suspects, who are currently being interrogated in DSS custody.
Reacting to the successful operation, President Bola Tinubu expressed profound happiness and praised the exceptional professionalism and sacrifice of the armed forces, while also commending Governor Seyi Makinde and the Oyo State Government for their close cooperation throughout the crisis. The mass abduction, which took place on May 15, 2026, when heavily armed gunmen invaded three schools in the Ahoro-Esiele and Yawota communities near Ogbomoso, had thrown the entire nation into mourning, particularly after the tragic murder of one of the teachers, Mr. Oyedokun, while in the kidnappers’ den. President Tinubu assured the affected families that his administration will ensure absolute justice is served, while directing emergency response and relief agencies to work directly with the state government to provide immediate medical attention, trauma counseling, and comprehensive rehabilitation support to the rescued children and teachers as they begin their recovery journey.
